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NFL draft prospects

Benn opted to enter the draft after a disappointing, injury-riddled 2009 season. Had he stayed another year, he could have played with older brother Trulon Henry, a 25-year-old DB who spent time in prison and has been offered a scholarship by Illinois. Last year, Benn was sidelined after three plays with a high ankle sprain that would linger throughout the year. He also had thigh and head injuries and suffered from inconsistent quarterback play. All this came after promising season in 2008 when he caught 67 passes for 1,055 yards and displayed versatility as a rusher and returner. Benn has strong hands and shows outstanding footwork on the boundaries.

After months of controversy, Bryant's future is not as obvious as his unquestioned athletic ability should dictate. He is a big, fast, aggressive receiver with great hands and the ability to go to the house whenever he has the ball. But he was suspended for almost all of 2009 for lying to the NCAA about his acquaintances. Bryant's general demeanor has also concerned many NFL teams. Despite the importance of showing his physical condition after missing the season, Bryant skipped the combine workouts citing a hamstring injury and seemed less than prepared for his own personal pro day in Lufkin, Texas, on March 30. A structured environment would likely facilitate future success for Bryant.

Many think Graham may be the next coming of Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates -- basketball-players-turned-NFL-stars. Until last year, the last time Graham played football was in the ninth grade, just before he became better known as a basketball player in high school and at Miami. Graham joined the football team in August and scored a touchdown on his first catch, though he did have plenty of awkward moments and dropped passes before he began to look like an outstanding pro prospect. He still has a lot to learn as a blocker and route-runner, but his size and eye-popping athletic ability are undeniable.

Gresham probably could have been the first tight end taken in the 2009 draft, but he chose to return and play another year with QB Sam Bradford. However, like Bradford, Gresham was injured, tearing right knee ligaments in August. He missed the entire season but was ready for the combine. He went on the field to prove it by running 40 yards in 4.66 seconds and leaping 35 inches in the vertical jump. Before his injury, Gresham showed surprising speed for his size and was an accomplished route-runner. However he could be more aggressive going for the ball in a crowd, especially since he seems to have such sure hands. After the catch he gains extra yardage more with strength than speed. In 2008, he caught 66 passes for 950 yards and 14 touchdowns.

If "Gronk" can stay healthy, he has the potential to be a sensational player. But that's a big if. He missed the 2009 season with a back injury that required surgery and was out three games in 2008 with mononucleosis. He was not ready for the combine, so scouts were eager to see him at his March pro day, when he put on a decent show. His best 40-yard time checked in at 4.65 seconds, and he had a 33½-inch vertical jump. He has the size, athleticism, strength and soft hands that make him a perfect tight end prospect. In less than two full seasons, Gronkowski became Arizona's all-time leading tight end in multiple categories.

LaFell was rated the top receiver by some scouts going into the 2009 season, but his draft ratings have been impacted by a combination of injuries and the inability to impress pro scouts. He rejected an invitation to the Senior Bowl because he didn't want to aggravate a knee injury from the Capital One Bowl. Then he was unimpressive at the combine, where his best 40 time was 4.58 seconds. But before all that, he certainly had the appearance and some of the productivity of a big pro wide receiver prospect. There have always been concerns about his lack of quickness and difficulty separating from defenders consistently, but he often compensated with long arms and strong hands. His college productivity was decent with career totals of 175 catches, 2,517 yards and 25 touchdowns.

McCluster is a combustible football player wrapped in a small package. Just give him the ball and he can explode on an opponent from a number of positions -- running back, wide receiver or return man. He is quick with spectacular lateral moves that make him very elusive. Most scouts were shocked and disappointed when his best 40-yard time at the combine was a pedestrian 4.53 seconds. But he looked excellent in agility drills until pulling a hamstring. McCluster started 28 college games -- 17 at flanker, six at running back, four at slot back and one at split end. He caught 130 passes for 1,703 yards (7 touchdowns), rushed 304 times for 1,955 yards (15 touchdowns), returned eight punts 57 yards and 19 kickoffs 374 yards. Concerns over his lack of size were quieted by a dazzling display at Senior Bowl practices.

Some believe McCoy has the potential to be the most complete player in this year's excellent class of tight ends. His productivity as a receiver is a tribute to his tenacity and persistence. McCoy earned honorable mention all-Pac-10 honors in 2008 despite catching only 22 passes for 256 yards and one touchdown. In 2009, he caught 22 passes again, but this time for 457 yards, a gaudy average of 20.8 yards. But don't confuse him as some fast or fancy run-after-the catch receiver. He just refuses to go down easily after contact. McCoy has soft hands as a receiver but is slow off the line. He is both ferocious and relentless as a blocker.

Price began to gain significant attention after showing up for the 2009 season with an additional 20 pounds of muscle to go with his exceptional speed. He proved it wasn't just for show as he then led the team to an appearance in the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl. He finished the season with 56 catches for 784 yards (five touchdowns) and rushed 11 times for 103 yards. He is tough, explosive and reaches top speed quickly, as he showed during the combine with a best 40-yard time of 4.40 seconds that included a 20-yard split of only 1.50 seconds. In his four years at Ohio, Price set the school career record with 149 catches for 2,019 yards and 14 touchdowns.

This multi-talented player earned the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in the nation in 2009. He caught 93 passes for 1,496 yards and 15 touchdowns, rushed 25 times for 186 yards and two scores and returned 12 punts for 171 yards and another touchdown. Yet Tate's lack of No. 1 receiver height may concern some teams in a class full of tall and talented prospects. He did measure a quarter-inch over 5-10 at the combine, where he also registered a nice 40 time of 4.42 seconds. As a receiver and returner, he has startling quickness and nifty moves that can embarrass a defensive back. Tate is aggressive going for the ball but sometimes lets it get into his body rather than snatching it with his hands. He enters the draft as an underclassman, but he is already well-coached in the techniques of his position.

Thomas broke his left foot in a Feb. 16 workout as he was preparing for the combine. With his foot in a boot, he missed both the combine and pro day. So teams will need to rely on game film for analysis. What they'll see is an exceptional big-play star, evidenced last season when he grabbed 46 passes for 1,154 yards, a 25.1-yard per catch average that was second in the nation. However those stats are mitigated by curiosity over how much he was helped by the triple-option offense that Tech uses to get defenses focused on the run. Thomas is a huge target with large hands and can make tough catches. Scouts believe that because of how he was used in college, he still has a lot to learn about route-running and the nuances of playing wide receiver.

Williams may not impress the clock with his 40-yard time, and he doesn't seem to make any dazzling lateral moves, but he still manages to be elusive. That is reflected by his average of 14.9 yards per punt return in 2009. His apparent lack of speed was noted at the combine, where his best time in 40 yards was only 4.52 seconds. But scouts watching game tapes still marvel at his productivity and note that he seems to have enough of what they call "game speed" to get the job done. He proved that at two schools. Williams earned freshman all-SEC honors in five starts at Arkansas, catching 19 passes for 235 yards and two scores. After transferring and sitting out 2007, he was USC's most reliable deep threat in 2008, catching 58 passes for 869 yards and nine touchdowns. Williams improved that last season with 70 catches for 1,010 yards and six scores. He has a history of shoulder injuries that raise a red flag.